John

I was saddened to hear of Dennis Hopper\’s death today due to cancer. I was never a huge fan, just the occasional role that crossed his path. A clever and talented actor as well as director, Hopper was an artist too, and an art collector. I had heard on NPR just the other day that a large exhibit of his art collection was opening at the Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art.

Hopper was 74, so he had a pretty good run. He certainly had some accomplishments to his credit. I can\’t logically attach more \”accomplishment\” to his acting in a movie as I can to my completing a year-long software project, but he produced, directed, and edited it as well, and that\’s more than many of my software projects.

A much better bio than I can provide can be found at Wikipedia.

Rest in Peace, Dennis.

Auntie Joann sent us kids an email this morning acknowledging what would have been my father\’s 83rd birthday yesterday. He missed out on a bunch of really neat grandchildren. He also missed out on his great-grandchildren. He was a great guy. Too bad he smoked. Bastard.

This came to me from my long-time friend Mark:

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my
assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. \”I\’m glad I have a
good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,\” I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and
filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to
start a conversation.

\’Where are you headed?\’ I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.

\”Petawawa. We\’ll be there for two weeks for special training, and then
we\’re being deployed to Afghanistan.\”

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack
lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours
before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help
pass the time..

As I reached for my wallet, I overheard the soldier ask his buddy if he
planned to buy lunch. \”No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn\’t be worth five bucks. I\’ll wait till we get to base .\”

His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I
walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a
fifty dollar bill. \”Take a lunch to all those soldiers..\”

She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me.  \”My son was a soldier in Iraq ; it\’s almost like you are doing it for him.\”

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers
were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, \”Which do you like
best – beef or chicken?\”

\”Chicken,\” I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to
the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from
first class. \”This is your thanks…\”

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane,
heading for the rest room.

A man stopped me.  \”I saw what you did. I want to be part of it.
Here, take this.\”  He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down
the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was
not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on
my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, an said,  \”I want to shake your hand.\’

Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain\’s hand..
With a booming voice he said, \”I was a soldier and I was a military pilot..
Once, someone bought me a lunch.  It was an act of kindness I
never forgot.\”  I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of
the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs.
A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his
hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane.
Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put
something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a
word. Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars. \”It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich.
God Bless You.\”

Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their
fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return.

These soldiers were giving their all for our country.. I could only give
them a couple of meals.

It seemed so little….

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check
made payable to \”The United States of America\”  for an amount of  \”up to and including my life.\”

That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who
no longer understand it.

user John_ has entered room
( Fri Oct 23 2009 10:38:25 oh, by the way...)

analyst Joanne has entered room

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 10:38:33 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Hello John_, Thank you for contacting Comcast Live Chat Support.
My name is Joanne. Please give me one moment to review your
information.

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 10:38:43 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

How are you today?

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 14:38:53 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Doing well. Yourself?

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 10:39:09 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

I am very glad to know that. I am doing great! Thanks for asking.

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 10:39:25 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

How may I assist you today?

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 14:39:54 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

I\'m hoping to reduce my cable bill by dropping the digital
premium package (name might not be quite correct)

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 14:40:47 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

It\'s the Digital Preferred Plus package...

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 10:42:10 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

I would just like to verify if I got your concern correctly,
you would like to downgrade from your current cable package,
which is the Digital Preferred  Plus package, correct?

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 14:43:08 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Yes. If my bill is partitioned correctly, the Digital Preferred Plus
package is $39.45. I\'d like to drop just that portion of the service.

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 10:43:31 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Let me go ahead and help you with that.

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 10:43:49 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

May I have the account number please?

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 14:43:54 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Thanks. We hardly ever watch HBO or Starz, and I can\'t really see a lot of difference other than that...

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 14:44:07 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 14:44:20 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

At least that\'s what\'s next to my wife\'s name on the bill...

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 10:44:30 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Thank you.

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 10:44:49 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Can you please verify to me the account holder\'s name?

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 14:45:05 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Peggy S Griswold

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 10:45:24 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Thank you.

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 10:46:24 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

I would just like to verify again, you want to remove HBO or Starz,
correct?

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 14:47:48 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

The bill has this: Digital Preferred Plus 10/16 - 11/15 39.45
Digital Preferred Plus With HBO & STARZ
Includes: Digital Classic, Digital Preferred,
Digital Music Choice, HBO, HBO Plex,
STARZ!, STARZ! Plex, Interactive Program
Guide

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 10:48:37 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Okay.

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 14:48:38 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

I want to drop that piece, however it\'s structured.

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 14:48:55 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

My aim is to save the $40.

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 10:50:16 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Okay, I understand John.

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 10:52:58 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

What I’m going to do now is to try to remove some of the channels
from the package but let check though if the system will let me.
I f not, I have to transfer you to our sales department because
they have more access to our products\' rate codes. Will that
be fine with you John?

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 14:53:13 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Sure - thanks.

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 14:54:08 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

I thought it would just be a checkbox or something 

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 10:56:05 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

It\'s somewhat like what you think but we have to adjust rate
codes though so that the system will allow us the change. We
also have to check promotions that might be applied to your
account.Please give me a few minutes to process your request.
Thank you.

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 14:56:20 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Thanks

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 10:56:53 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

By the way John, what are those channels you want to remove?

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 14:58:33 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

I don\'t have a listing of the channels specifically. I tried to
determine what the difference between the digital start and
the Digital Classic and Preferred was, but it\'s tough to
navigate the web site\'s lists...

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 14:59:33 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

So if you just remove the HBO and Starz components, that would
probably be the bulk of it. There aren\'t clearly-defined packages.

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 11:07:16 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Okay, John. Let me give you a link that you can look over to
compare packages available in your area and find a package
that will suit you.
< link to the basic obtuse Comcast offerings page >

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 15:07:44 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

OK going there now

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 11:08:49 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

However John, I would have to transfer you to our sales
department so they can better assist you with your change
of package. Will that be fine?

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 15:11:17 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

OK. Thanks for your help

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 11:11:37 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

You\'re welcome.

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 11:11:57 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Please stay on the chat while I transfer you. Thank you.

analyst Carol has entered room

Joanne(Fri Oct 23 2009 11:13:41 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Please wait, while the problem is escalated to another analyst

Carol(Fri Oct 23 2009 11:13:49 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Hello.  Thank you for choosing Comcast.  My name is Carol
and I will be processing your order today.  Please stay
online while I create the work order for your request.
It will take me just a few minutes to pull up your
address in our system.  Please hold for a moment.

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 15:13:50 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Thank you

analyst Joanne has left room

Carol(Fri Oct 23 2009 11:15:01 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Be right with you

Carol(Fri Oct 23 2009 11:17:14 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

I just read your request

Carol(Fri Oct 23 2009 11:17:32 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

so sorry,  I will need to have you call in  for a downgrade,
1-888-633-4266

Carol(Fri Oct 23 2009 11:17:55 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Is there anything else I can help you with today

John_(Fri Oct 23 2009 15:18:17 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

If only Joanne had told me that a half-hour ago... No, I
guess that\'s all I need. Thanks for the phone number.

Carol(Fri Oct 23 2009 11:18:50 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Thank you.

Carol(Fri Oct 23 2009 11:18:56 GMT+0000 (EDT))>

Analyst has closed chat and left the room

analyst Carol has left room
(Fri Oct 23 2009 11:18:56 Oh, by the way - 41 minutes!)

The postscript to this story is a quick five-minute phone call to Comcast at the above number, where I had to select English (were are we?),  enter my home phone number, navigate a 27-level triage menu, and finally be told by a nice lady that she couldn\’t help me because the account is in Peggy\’s name…

I am considerably sadder today than I might have imagined at the passing of Senator Kennedy. Early this morning as I drove to work, I kept hearing more and more about what he\’d done, and it finally started to dawn on me that he\’d passed away overnight.

I didn\’t always agree with his politics, though I like to think that as I got older (and smarter?) I tended to agree with him more and more. I was raised in a decidedly Republican environment, registered in 1972 as an Independent, and voted my conscience. I voted for a wide variety of candidates: Republican, Democrat, Independent, and hell, even Libertarian for various offices over the years, but I think I always voted for Ted.

The scion of a privileged family, he could have taken a different path – an easier path. But he chose to take perhaps the most difficult path he could, one of dutiful public service. Lots of folks are saying today that it\’s just the way Ted was wired. That\’s what he was meant to do.

Ted was a stand-up guy. Others will do a much better job than I eulogizing him, but I just wanted to publicly acknowledge that no matter his methods, he was always trying to help out the Average Joe. And that\’s pretty admirable.

We\’re going to a family reunion today, for my mother\’s side of the family (the Wadsworth side) although the Wadsworths are pretty much extinct at this point, so it\’s really the family of my mother\’s half-sister who is organizing it. No matter.

I figured \”What is more family reunion-ish than deviled eggs?\” They\’ve always been around at every other family reunion, summer picnic or what-have-you. So I bought a couple of deviled egg plates, each with the capacity for 20 eggs, and a couple dozen eggs. Deviled eggs. Easy, right?

I awoke this morning knowing that Peg had cooked the eggs for me last night (while I was playing radio – sweet). I went back into the radio shack/office, sat down, made a few more radio contacts, and then Googled \”deviled eggs\”. Well, as in all things, there are specialized web sites. The Deviled Egg Gourmet in particular caught my eye. I read through the directions for cooking eggs, peeling eggs, and the like. Very interesting. Turns out my mother had it all wrong for all those years.

Then I turned to the recipe section. I had two trays, each capable of holding 20 deviled eggs. The recipes I found used six eggs. OK, a little quick division. 40/6 = 6.6666. So that 1/4 cup of mayo is now 1 2/3 cup, the salt scales up likewise, the dry mustard, the pepper, the vinegar, too. I added a bit of ground hot pepper, a quarter cup of sweet relish, which I drained to keep the mixture on the stiffer side. Few things are more disgusting than deviled eggs with a soupy filling.

Well, I mixed that up, and it was pretty loose. I added the reserved four egg yolks, and it was still about the consistency of a thin cake batter. Grrrrr. I knew I should have just gone with the Betty Crocker recipe. I checked, and Betty calls for 3T of mayo instead of 1/4 cup. Yep, that extra T of mayo was what did me in.

I heard Peg stir upstairs, and went up to ask if there was anything I could do. She\’s pretty good at knowing recipe recovery paths (not that there\’s any particular reason, mind you, that she should have any experience in pulling a recipe back from the edge of disaster, except perhaps from watching me cook for 33 years).

I explained my process. 40 deviled eggs, recipe for six eggs, so I scaled everything up by 6 and change.
\”Nope. Only four. Half-dozen eggs to two dozen eggs is a four-to-one increase. You didn\’t have forty eggs.\” Boy did I feel stupid. It wasn\’t, you might guess, the first time.

(She promised not to tell. But I thought it was pretty entertaining, so I\’m ratting myself out.)

By this point, the stores were open again so I ran out and got another two dozen eggs, and started over.
So that\’s $6 I\’ll never see again. I still used most of the eggs she cooked for the whites. She had peeled them too, and more carefully than I had. I swapped out a few of the more off-center eggs and replaced them with some of the more on-center eggs that I had cooked, and filled them with a really fancy squirter that Peg had gotten at a Pampered Chef party. So that part was fun…

Please just follow along…

John:
I used my debit card at dinner last night, and my wife used hers at a grocery store later in the evening. This morning at breakfast, my card was denied. I went to the local ATM a few hours later to get some cash, and again, the card was denied.

I communicated on-line with one of your reps and got cards reissued
(yes, my wife\’s card was no longer active). The rep (\”Desmond\”, if
that\’s of any matter), informed me that there was no indication that
there were debit cards associated with the account.

I can understand if the magnetic stripe gets damaged the card won\’t
work, but I do not understand how your system can \”forget\” that we have debit cards. My sister, who also banks with BoA, claims this same thing has happened to her three times in the past two months.

Can you provide an explanation for how your system can \”forget\” that I
have a debit card? That would seem to me that an incorrect database
update occurred, and I don\’t know how that can happen in this day and age.

Thanks for any information you can provide.
<------------------------------------------------>
Harley:
Dear John A. Griswold,

Thank you for your inquiry dated 8/8/09 regarding the debit card. We
will be happy to assist you.

We understand your concern about the debit card. Allow us to apologize for any inconvenience that you may have experienced in this matter.

However, Please be informed that at your request, we are sending you a new debit card ending in – ****. You should receive your card on 8/17/09 through U.S. Mail. The card is being sent to the following address:

34 Cambridge St
Ayer MA 01432-1361

If the mailing information is incorrect, please provide us with an
updated address to which the card should be mailed and we will update
our records. The card mailed to the incorrect address will be cancelled
and a new card will be sent. Please remember to activate your new debit card at any Bank of America ATM by using the new PIN , which is being mailed to you separately.

You may now activate your new debit card in Online Banking. Just click
on debit card settings located in the Checking and Savings section on
the Customer Service tab and complete the information requested.

For your reference, to find the banking center nearest you, please use
the ATM and Banking Center locator on the Bank of America Web page at www.bankofamerica.com. It is located on the lower left hand side of the page.

Please remember, Bank of America offers Total Security Protection. This
service is free and automatically available for all Bank of America
consumer credit cards and debit cards. It features zero liability if
your card is lost or stolen. For extended information on this service,
please visit (some web link)

For more information regarding the old debit card ending in – ****, we
recommend you to contact at 1.877.833.5617. We are available twenty four hours a day and seven days a week.

We value you as a customer and appreciate your business. If we may be of further assistance, please contact us again by e-mail. Thank you for choosing Bank of America.

Sincerely,

Harley K
<----------------------------------------------->
John:
Thank you for your response, but you didn\’t answer my question.

Desmont, the first agent I contacted, said that your system showed that my wife and I didn\’t even have debit cards. Yet, less than 24 hours earlier, we used them. That would indicate that sometime between 8PM on Friday and 9AM on Saturday, your system \”forgot\” that we had debit cards.

I want to know how this can happen.

Thank you again for your quick response, but I really would like to have
my question answered.

Sincerely,
John Griswold

<------------------------------------------------->

Adrian:
Dear John A. Griswold,

Thank you for your inquiry dated 8/9/09 regarding the debit card. We
will be happy to assist you.

We apologize for any confusion regarding the debit card transactions.
Our records indicate that your debit card ending in -**** was closed on 8/8/09 and a new debit card ending in -**** was issued. You should received your card within 8/17/09 at the following address:

34 Cambridge St
Ayer MA 01432-1361

Our records indicate rejections on your transactions on 8/8/09 as the
card was blocked. However, up to 8/7/09 the transactions were
successful.

Unfortunately, we cannot provide information on the debit card for your
co-owner because the owner of the debit card and the owner of this
Online ID are different. The Online ID provides you with security and
verification to perform updates on an account you own by e-mail through Online Banking.

Please have your co-owner sign in using her Online ID and send us an
e-mail requesting the updates. We will be happy to assist at that time.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. If we may be of further assistance, please contact us again by e-mail. We value you as a customer and appreciate your business. Thank you for choosing Bank of America.

Sincerely,

Adrian D

<------------------------------------------>

John:

Once again, thank you for your quick response to tell me that my old
debit card was rendered useless and a new card has been issued.

However, once again you have failed to answer my primary question –
Why did my card become useless? How did this happen?

There has to be an explanation.

You are doing nothing at all to convince me that Bank of America is
where I should do my banking.

Please escalate my question, along with the trail of queries and useless
responses, to a supervisor.

Sincerely,
John Griswold

<--------------------------------------->
John C:

Thank you for your inquiry dated 8/10/09 regarding the debit card. We
will be happy to assist you.

Allow us to apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced in this regard.

Our records indicate that you are listed as a Private customer.
Regrettably, we are unable to complete your request through e-mail for
security reason. In order to assist you better, we request you to us at
1.877.556.2171. We are available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, Eastern Time.

We once again apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. If we may be of further assistance, please contact us again by e-mail. We value you as a customer and appreciate your business. Thank you for choosing Bank of America.

Sincerely,

John C

OK, I was ready to hold my tongue on this one, but Mr. Obama just pissed me off in supporting Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

The police officer investigating a report of \”a black man breaking into a house\” went to the house and found a black man inside. Said black man, when asked for ID, spouts off with \”Why, because I\’m a black man and you\’re a white police officer?\” The correct thing to do would have been to politely produce ID and explain how you\’d had difficulty getting the door open. Calling the cop a racist and mouthing off isn\’t very likely to start off a good encounter. Assuming Crowley was a racist simply because he was white is racist in and of itself. Sergeant Crowley came out to protect Gates\’s property, for Pete\’s sake, and had a half-way reasonable chance of getting shot at. Had the report been for a white man breaking in, or someone wearing a hockey mask breaking in, and Crowley found a white man or goalie inside, chances are pretty good the cop\’d ask for ID there, too! I\’m pretty sure I\’d have Tasered his ass and then asked for ID while he was still twitching.

To continue to call Crowley a racist, and to continue to mouth off is, in my estimation, a damn fine way to get your ass dragged down to the station, I don\’t care whether you\’re black, white, green or plaid.

To have the President then come on TV and remark that the Cambridge PD (the entire department?!) acted \”stupidly\” is just insulting to the Cambridge PD and to my intelligence. Watching the early news in Boston that day made it pretty clear who was acting \”stupidly\”. It was the oh-so-learned Professor Gates.

So how about showing a little respect for the Sergeant Crowley? And for that matter the rest of the Cambridge PD – and the rest of the police no matter where? You don\’t see Gates humping around a Kevlar jacket and twenty pounds of other gear all day, nor do you see Gates risking his life every day to protect the citizenry of Cambridge. No – but that cop is out there five days a week, in the heat, in the snow and the rain, standing between Gates and that part of \”society\” that is intent on taking his property and/or life.

I do think an apology is in order. Professor Gates needs to apologize to Sergeant Crowley. And he needs to introduce himself to a few of the neighbors. The 911 call that started the whole incident came from a neighbor – who apparently didn\’t know who Gates was.

And Mr. President, stay out of it.

As a post-script, President Obama called Sergeant Crowley and \”expressed regret\” for jumping to conclusions about what had happened at Professor Gates\’s house… ( http://tinyurl.com/n2brt9 )

Thank you, Mr. President for being a stand-up guy.

Given that Memorial Day is set aside to remember those who gave their all in defending our country, I have a deep and abiding respect for it. But I broaden my definition, as do most, to extend to remembrance of loved ones who have gone before us.

I\’d like to visit my parents\’ graves, but given that they decided to be buried in Washington County Maine, I don\’t often get to do that. So I most often, on Memorial Day, visit my grandparents\’ graves in Buckland Massachusetts. Buckland is rather a rural community. I suspect there\’s actually a town center, but where my grandparents are buried is just off of a little village common where one can find a little white New England church and a small community center.

I bring along my gardening trowel. There\’s one large headstone that merely says \”Griswold\” in large Roman letters, but there are also smaller grave markers perhaps 9\” x 16\” or so with more detailed information. These markers appear to be sinking, but in reality the earth naturally gets deeper as the vegetation grows, and eventually these markers will be swallowed, as it were, by the passage of time. I do my best to clear them up a bit with my trowel while I\’m there, which is why I bring it along now. It\’s easier on my hands.

After my duties, I kicked off my Birkenstocks and walked about barefoot in the cool grass, reflecting some, but mostly just moseying about (or nosing around – you call it) looking for interesting graves. There are a number of other Griswolds buried there, including my great-grandfather Eugene.

After just a few minutes of \”reflection\”, another car drove up to the gate. I\’d parked out on the street and walked the 100 feet or so. Two ladies older than I exited the car with a couple of trowels, a jug of water, and a couple of geraniums. The, too, were out to visit their grandparents\’, and parents\’, graves, and plant some geraniums for them. I hurried to get my sandals back on, lest I be thought disrespectful of the dead.

Those that know me well have noticed that I\’ve \”come out of my shell\” a bit over the past decade, and I\’ll actually talk to people now. I greeted these ladies, and was going to offer my assistance, but they seemed to have two flowerpots well under control. I lamely commented on the weather or something, and stated my purpose for being there, pointing to my grandfather\’s large headstone.

\”Griswold?\”, one of them said. \”Well, Gene Griswold built our house\”, referring, unknowingly, to my great-grandfather. I explained how that\’d be Gene\’s son I was there visiting. That started off a half-hour chat, them telling me that Gene was actually the crew leader, not the single-handed builder of their house (actually their father\’s house, as they were children at the time). They complimented my great-grandfather\’s abilities, and how since there was no electricity, everything had to be piece-cut by hand! Now that\’s got to be an undertaking, building a whole house with a hammer and a handsaw…

I told them the one story I have of my great-grandfather – that I remember meeting him when I was \”this high\” (which wasn\’t very high at all – Gene died when I was three). My grandfather lived in what I always considered a mansion in the next community over, and across the street was a tiny little house that my great-grandfather occupied when he wasn\’t in Florida. I remember one day my father taking me to visit his grandfather. I haven\’t been in that house in over fifty years, but I remember the kitchen entrance, and turning right into the sitting room, where my great-grandfather sat, I guess watching TV, and I remember shaking his hand. That\’s it – my one story of Great Grandpa…

They didn\’t recall my grandfather, but were likely a couple decades or so behind him in school, as they were talking about the late 30\’s or early 40\’s for the time of construction. But I accompanied them as they planted the geraniums, one between their parents\’ headstones, and one between their grandparents\’ headstones, and listened as they talked about their forebears.

They had also known my grandfather\’s cousins Jane and Roberta (or Bobbie, as we all knew her), and how the girls had grown up in the Mary Lyons house. They concurred when I mentioned that they\’d lived, up until eight or ten years ago, in the Major Joseph Griswold house in Buckland, perhaps a quarter mile away, until ill health forced them into assisted living. Jane, we surmised, was still alive, but they recalled (as I believe I do) that Bobbie passed away a few years ago.

We continued to chat as I walked them back to their car, thanked them for the nice conversation, and said I hoped to see them again next year.